The Paths We Take
by Not really sure
Summary: AU When peace has come at such a high price, will we still be able to walk the paths set before us. Duo Maxwell has to see if he can pick up the pieces of his life one more time and keep moving. Rated M for blood and swearing. 1x2 Mpreg
1. Chapter 1

The Paths We Take

Chapter 1: When our paths split

Disclaimer: I don't own it; if I did then I would rule the world and chain all authors to their laptops. Making them write nothing but 1x2 fan fictions… Yes, I am aware that I need a life.

Warnings: AU, Male x Male, MPreg, Yaoi, Male x Female, swearing, mention of sex, blood, death (none of the gundam boys tho)

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 6x9, 5xM, mentions of 3xOCs and 4xOCs, and 5xOCs

Author's Note: I didn't change any of the characters sexes, but some of them are pretending. Also the word mother can be used for either for male or female.

Other Author's Note: This is my first multi-chapter story. Please tell me what you think. Anything is helpful. Also let me know if something doesn't make sense.

Thanks to my Beta, Anomura.

________________________________________________________________________

_In the beginning there was only the Divine, who gave birth to the two great land spirits, Layoli and Zayoli. Yet these children had nowhere to call home; they had only space and the stars, where land spirits were not meant to live. So the Divine created the world and all creatures within it, even man._

_Layoli and Zayoli were inseparable and loved to play with the creatures in the home their mother had made for them. To show their mother how much they worshiped the world that was created, Layoli and Zayoli decided to create a beautiful creature in their mother's image. But Zayoli and Layoli could not agree on the shape of beauty. Both agreed that it should have two arms and two legs. It should have two eyes and one nose. But Layoli believed that beauty should have a flat chest and narrow hips, while Zayoli believed it should have rounded breasts and full hips._

_The argument raged deep into the night and into the next day until the twins were no longer talking to each other. It was then decided that they would both make their own creatures and let the Divine decide which looked more like their mother. Yet when both figures were finished and brought before the Divine, there was no judgment. _

"_Both are beauty in human form,_"_ was all the Divine said._

_Yet the twins did not want to hear this; after all, one of them had to be right and one wrong. Both begged their mother to choose and to choose their own, yet the Divine made no choice. The fighting of the brothers soon tore the land apart until only a small part of their land touched. The brothers tried to split the last of the land to sever the bond of brotherhood between them, but the Divine would not let them. This small piece of middle ground would hold the brothers together always. The Divine called this land Sanc, which meant "peace" in the old tongue. _

________________________________________________________________________

Duo Maxwell was a man who never showed when something was upsetting him. Life had taught him from an early age that you should never let the enemy see you sweat or cry. He didn't cry when the other street children were wiped out from a plague, nor did he cry when OZ forces invaded his city and burned down the church, killing his second family inside. The church had burned down with about half of the city, after all. Many people lost their homes and families. These hardships of the last twenty years of his life had made Duo the person he was today.

Yet Duo had never had someone dislike him so much for the same hardships that molded him. Of course, it wasn't every day that he went head to head with one of the most widely known intelligence officers of the Alliance army, or what was left of it.

"Where did you say you are from again?"

Duo took a deep breath. "L2," he repeated for the third time. Knowing the man could not have forgotten so quickly.

Jay placed his teacup down on the fine oak table and looked at the man—the _boy _sitting in front of him. Any young sire would have seen the beautiful purple eyes, heart-shaped face and long hair and fallen in love at first sight. Yet Jay was an old man and had seen many pretty faces in his lifetime. True, this was one of the nicest he had seen in a long while, but that didn't mean he trusted the boy.

"And you say you fought in the Layoli-two's army as well?"

"No. I led my own group against the OZ army that invaded there, since the Alliance army was busy guarding its food shipments instead of its citizens."

"You were a guerrilla, then." It wasn't a question or a compliment.

Duo ground his teeth together and tried to remember that he needed this man's help. "I helped the people any way I could."

Picking the teacup back up, Jay looked up at the portrait above the fireplace. Duo followed the old man's line of sight up to the picture of a young man in an older version of the Alliance uniform, with eyes as blue as Heero's. He wondered if Jay had the same eyes behind his odd glasses.

"The Yuy family has a long history of supporting this great nation. We formed the Alliance to protect its citizens from the invading OZ army. My great, great grandfather was a founding member of the Alliance Intelligence Agency. My mother and father were both honored generals within the Alliance army. My beloved mate Odin was one of the top black ops agents of all time. He died in service of this country." He took a sip of his tea to calm himself.

"My son is…_was _one of the best fighters within the Alliance army. He always held himself to the utmost standards. He could have become a general." Jay's eyes focused again on Duo, or so he thought since he couldn't see his eyes behind the glasses. "He would never disgrace this family by marrying street trash."

"Now listen here, Old Man!"

Jay slammed down his tea cup, the hot liquid slopping onto the table.

"No, you listen here. My son would never go behind my back and marry someone without telling me first, especially someone with no family or formal education. Just because you have gotten yourself in trouble and somehow got my son to help you try to cover it up does not mean that I will let you disgrace this family's name."

Pushing his chair away from the table, Duo got to his feet and looked the old man right back in the eye.

"I may have been born and raised on the streets and fought from the bushes instead of standing out in the open like a 'real soldier'. But I love," Duo swallowed back the tears, "_loved _your son. And he loved me. If you ever tried talking to him these last few years, you might have known that."

Duo turned to walk out of the house. He would find his own way if there was no help here.

"I will not honor the marriage," Jay stated calmly to the retreating back. Duo paused for a moment and then kept walking. The slamming of the front door was the only response Jay got to his statement. Picking up his cup of tea again, Jay looked back up at the portrait of his grandfather and listened to the sounds of his empty house.

________________________________________________________________________

The tavern was busy for the middle of the workweek. Men walked in and out of the old wooden door, coming in for their midday meal and going out again to work or staying and chatting with the groups sitting around the tables. One man by the name of Wufei Chang sat at the farthest table from the entrance, waiting for his friend to come back. He ate his lunch slowly and listened to the group talking next to him.

"Is it true that both armies were lost in the storm?" the smallest of the group whispered to the other two.

"Yeah," the red-haired one answered. "The council is now saying it was a sign from the great Divine that the war should end. It seems that both nations have now agreed to a peace treaty. And any army left on either side is to be disbanded, as per the wishes of the Divine."

The dark skin one snorted at the other two. "'The Divine wishes,' ha! Like he would ever care about what mere mortals do. It's only because both nations were stupid enough not to wait before that hurricane passed to send their fleets to war out on the open sea. We would not have lost so many good men, bearers and sires both, if they would have waited."

Turning to the dark skin one, the shorter one looked up at him with wide eyes. "But it is the Divine wish that we all get along; bearers, sires, and women right?"

The dark man snorted again causing the red-haired man to glare at him before he answered the smaller male. "Yes, that is correct. The Divine wishes all of the creatures of this earth to live in peace within the great kingdom of Sanc."

"Next they will be trying to rebuild the capital of Sanc and put a Peacecraft on the throne," the longhaired one muttered. The rest of the conversation was lost to Wufei when his friend threw himself down on a chair across the table, slamming down his drink. The black-haired man eyed his friend.

"It didn't go well, I take it."

"I don't want to talk about it, Fei," Duo replied, taking a sip of his drink.

Wufei raised one of his eyebrows at the answer. "I believe the world really is coming to an end, if you don't want to talk about something. What did the old fool say?"

"What did who say?"

Both men jumped at the question looking up at the new addition to the table. Lu Noin, gun for hire and an all around good man to have at your back, smiled at the boys sitting in front of him. Getting the drop on either of the two was a rare treat, and something that he always enjoyed doing.

Wufei offered the standing man the seat between him and Duo with a wave of his hand. Sitting down in the empty seat, Noin grabbed the drink out of Duo's hand. He took a big swallow out of it before making a face and spitting it back in.

"Ugh! What the hell are you drinking Maxwell? This tastes worse than the beer they made out in L3."

Duo took back his drink and grubbed the rest down, trying not to think about the fact that Noin had spit back into the cup.

"It's an herbal tea, that the healer gave to me," he replied.

Sending Duo a questionable look she asked, "Since when do you drink herbal tea instead of beer?"

Wufei snorted back a laugh, barely managing to keep himself under control. Glaring at Wufei for laughing, Duo took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant."

Noin was slacked jawed for a full minute before he could reply.

"What! When? Who's the father?"

"WHY DOES EVERYONE ASK ME THAT?"

All noise in the tavern stopped and heads turned to stare. Duo flushed and quickly took his seat again. Wufei sighed and looked at his friend. It was true that they hadn't known each other long, and they hadn't gotten along when Heero first introduced them. But over the last two years both men found they were able to rely on each other and developed a strong bond and understanding of each other.

"I take it he did not like the idea of taking you in."

"He said he would not honor the marriage, Fei."

"What! That dishonorable man! Does he not care about his own child's wishes?"

"Apparently just because I got his son to help me because I'm 'in trouble' doesn't mean he will do the same," Duo stated looking into his empty cup.

"Wait, hold up!" Both men turn to look at Noin. "When did you get married and what does not honoring it have to do with anything?"

Putting his cup down, Wufei looked at the longhaired man across from him. Yet Duo continued to study the bottom of his cup like it would hold all the answers he needed. Realizing that Duo did not want to answer Lu's question, Wufei answered for him. "Duo and Heero married the night before the fleet set sail."

Noin look back at the pregnant man. "I'm so sorry Duo. I've seen his name on the list of lost at sea. That's why I came back to Layoli-one. I hoped you two would still be here."

"He was a good man and the Divine took him far too soon from our lives," Wufei stated.

"Yes he did," Duo said sharply.

"As for honoring the marriage," Wufei continued, "a family has one month after a wedding to honor the marriage of their child. Most families honor the marriage as long as their child is of age and had the right to consent. When the marriage is honored by both families, only then is it seen as legal. If the family does not honor the marriage then the newly wedded couple will have to gain a marriage license through the city, which usually takes about two more months and just requires a lot of paperwork. But since Heero isn't here to go through with the license…"

"Then there was no marriage in the eyes of the law in the first place. Meaning that I have no husband, no family, no money from Heero's inheritance, and no job since they just disbanded the last of the army," Duo finished for him.

Noin shook his head at the bad situation his friend was in. "What are you going to do now?"

Duo looked up from his cup and frowned. "I'm not sure. But I've always landed on my feet and hopefully that will happen this time. I have a friend out in the L4 area that owes me a few favors for saving his life a couple of times. His father owns almost all the land and companies there. I think I'll see if I can crash with him till the baby is born."

Wufei stared at his friend like he was nuts before asking, "You're going to travel the whole way out to Layoli-4 to stay with that Winner brat?"

"What? It's not _that _far!"

Noin frowned at his answer. "Duo, it's over two months' journey from here. A man in your condition shouldn't be making such a long trip."

"Look, there's nothing here for me, and I'm going to need help when this kid comes. I'm only about two months along. I've been on my own for as long as I can remember. I'll be fine. And he's _not _a brat, Feifei."

Wufei crossed his arms and put his chin up. "I've never met the man personally, but I have heard stories. His father impregnated his wife and all the servants that could bear as many times as he could to have a sire, so that he could have an heir to his little kingdom. The Divine forbade it be one of the many bears he had. And when he finally gets one, it turns out the little brat only likes to sleep with other sires. Serves the man right, if you ask me."

"No one did," Duo stated. A _hmph_ was his only answer back.

Smiling at the two in front of him, Noin brought them back to the subject at hand. "Duo, if you're going to track the whole way out there at least let me come along. With the war over there's no need for my skills either."

Duo smiled back slightly and nodded his head. "Sure Noin, I wouldn't mind company."

"Well Maxwell, since one capable man has already decided to look after your ass for the time being, I should go back to the inn and get packing." Seeing the question already on the longhaired man's lips, Wufei continued. "I'm heading to the capital to see where this new peace will lead us. Hopefully once this whole thing gets straightened out there will be jobs out there for men like you and me. I'll write once I get there and find out what is going on with those idiot councilmen that are running the nation."

And with that the shorter man picked up his coat, threw down enough money for all their drinks and left the tavern.

"I really hate when he doesn't say goodbye."

"Come now Duo, it's not goodbye. We'll just see him farer down the road is all."

Duo gave Noin a small smile before standing up from the table. "Let's get packing then."

________________________________________________________________________

Richard Darlian listened to the sounds of the slow-moving carriage as he watched his daughter sitting across from him. The sunlight fell from the carriage window and shone on Relena's wheat-gold hair. Darlian sighed and looked outside the window, wondering where the time had gone. The child he had taken from that burning fire had grown into a beautiful young woman before his eyes. he couldn't help but think about what lay ahead for her, and sent a prayer to the Divine to watch over her in the coming years. The Divine only knew if he would be here to guide her through it.

With the Order of the Zayoli's army practically wiped out in the storm, many of the councilmen were on edge as to what kind of world this costly peace would bring. A good portion of the council still wanted to raise another army, yet more wanted a treaty with the Alliance but not a rebuilding of relations between the two countries. A peace like that would not last. Without understanding and a blending of culture, there could be no peace. Sanc would be the only way to ensure lasting harmony, a place where women, men, and bearers could live together. However, getting the whole of the council to agree to the rebuilding of the Sanc Kingdom would not be an easy feat. Only a Peacecraft would be able to build and rule such a kingdom.

"Men like that! I don't understand why they think war will bring back the lives of those young men!"

Darlian jumped, so deep in his thoughts he had not heard his daughter start to talk to him.

"Most are grieving fathers who just want to know their child died for something worthy," he answered.

Relena gave a very unladylike snort and looked back out the window, "I will never understand the idea of sending boys to their death for the glory of war."

"Some things are worth the life of a few, to bring peace to the lives of many," Darlian said calmly to his daughter. "But even when peace has come, it can still be hard to keep. That is why Sanc needs to be rebuild, so that people will always have a place to look for peace."

"Not this again, Father. I don't—"

"Do not question your destiny, Relena," Darlian said. "You are the future Queen of the Sanc Kingdom. Without a Peacecraft on the throne, peace will not last. Your father was a beacon of hope to the people—"

"_You _are my father. You raised me." Relena took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't understand why I have to be the one to lead. I want to live my life, not be a figurehead for other people. Milliardo was allowed to go and find his own destiny, so why can't I?"

"Your brother had his own sins to bear. He felt his place was to follow the General, even into death. I am sorry that he is gone Relena. But you are the last and you must take this role for peace to be kept. Do not let all these deaths be in vain."

"Why must their blood be on my hands?" Relena mumbled. Unable to take this conversation anymore, she opened the door to the carriage and jumped out. Ignoring the cry from her father, she ran into the woods until she found the trail that would take her to the beach.

She had walked this area many times in her life…whenever she needed to get away from the house and her father. Ever since she was a little girl, her father had been drilling into her that she was the future figure of peace. It would be a hard responsibility for anyone to bear, let alone a girl of eighteen years.

Stepping out onto the beach, Relena sighed. _And now the time has apparently come_, she thought. She was too young for this; she wanted a life of her own choosing. Not to have to look after and be looked at by hundreds of thousands people.

A flash of green near the breaking waves caught her eye. Her breath caught in her throat in fear when she realized the bundle of green had the shape of a person.

Running down to the shore, she kneeled next to the figure. The body was laying face down in the sand and with a grunt of effort Relena turned it over. For the second time in as many minutes, her breath caught in her throat, yet this time it was for another reason.

The flat chest told her it was a man and the rise and fall of that chest told her he was alive. Yet it was his face that caught her off guard. The man was so _handsome_. He had dark hair that covered his eyes, eyes that had thick black eyelashes and a strong jaw line. Relena placed her hand on his forehead, pushing back his hair to see if he had a fever. As soon as her hand touched, the man opened his eyes and looked straight at her. Falling into those deep blue eyes, Relena could barely get anything past her throat.

"What's your name, Angel?" Relena jumped realizing that the words had come out of her mouth.

"I don't know," was the hoarse response from the young man.


	2. Chapter 2: Comany along the way

The Paths We Take

Chapter 2: Company along the way

Disclaimer: I don't own it, if I did……..then I would rule the world and chain all authors to their laptops. Making them write nothing but 1x2 fan fictions……. Yes, I am aware that I need a life.

Warnings: AU, Male x Male, MPreg, Yaoi, Male x Female, swearing, mention of sex, blood, death (none of the gundam boys tho)

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 6x9, 5xM, mentions of 3xOCs and OCsx4, and 5xOCs

Author's Note: I didn't change any of the characters sexes, but some of them are pretending to be men or women. Also the word mother can be either for male or female.

Other Author's Note: No beta, so be kind. This is my first multi-chapter story. Please tell me what you think. Anything is helpful. Also let me know if something doesn't make sense.

Solitaire, camillian, and cewo- Thank you so much for giving me reviews it really helps to know that this story is being enjoyed.

Katerina Shinigami- I'll let Sally explain about the differences between bares and sires. As for Relena you'll have to wait and see, she meant be a little of both.

Now on with the story

* * *

_The door creaked slightly as Duo froze, looking back at the man sleeping on the floor. Yet the dark haired man continue to lie still on the floor, despite the other trying to leave the room quietly. Wufei was still sound asleep, it would seem, most likely from staying up so late talking to Duo about the fight he had with Heero. 'Maybe I should wake him', was a passing thought before the braid man shook his head, not wanting to deal with the cursing that would follow such a event, and continue sneaking out of the room. He figure Fei would most likely wake up soon anyway and still be able to make it to his boat before the fleet departed._

_As soon as Duo had the door close, he was rushing down the stairs, hoping to catch Heero before he boarded his own ship. _

* * *

_The harbor was crowded with well wishers and crying family members of all the army men setting sail for this "last great battle" as they called it. At first panic rushed through Duo, thinking he would never be able to find Heero within this mess of people, but then a flash of light caught his eye and he turn towards it. _

_Duo held his breath watching the back of his new husband, who was going over the cargo for one of the ships that would be leaving soon. He still couldn't believe that this man had picked him; he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all life had never given him anything but bad luck, why should things change now? Maybe that was why he was so upset last night, thinking that something had finally popped the bubble of happiness he finally had. Not wanting to think about it any longer, Duo rush over to his mate, wanting to make things right before he left._

_Heero had been a soldier all his life. Train by his mother from the time he had been able to walk and then later by his father more crude methods, Heero was rarely surprise by anything. Feeling the person running up behind him, he turned ready for a fight, but was shocked when Duo jumped into his arms instead. Listening to the words that were rushing out of his husband's mouth into his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile._

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn' mean to say those things. I love you! Please forgive me. I'm sor-" Duo kept repeating into his mate's uniform. _

"_It's ok. I forgive you. I know you didn't mean it."_

_Wet violet eyes met dark blue, before they pulled each other into a deep, long kiss. Pulling back Heero looked into the eyes of the man he loved more then anything. "Do you remember the first thing I ever said to you?"_

_A smile played on Duo lips remembering the first time they met on the battle field near the woods of L2. "You know, I thought you were some kind of weird pervert, when you said that to me. I didn't know what to think."_

_Pushing pieces of his mate's hair back, Heero continue, "I meant it. And I followed through on it, did I not?"_

_If it were possible Duo smile grew. "Yes, you did", he replied before his smile went away and he continue. "I'm sorry for being a shit head. I'm just always had the worst handed to me and I couldn't believe I finally have something so wonderful as my future."_

_Heero remove one of his arms from around his mate and placed it on his stomach. "My baby", he stated before pulling the braid man even closer to himself, "My family."_

"_Always yours, Heero. There will never be anyone else, I swear it", Duo replied before putting his head down on top of his lover shoulder. Sadly the couple's moment was broken by the sound of the bell to call all men to their boats. Heero and Duo broke apart, knowing their time together was at an end, for now. "Be safe and come back to me."_

"_I will", Heero promise before giving his love another kiss and getting aboard the ship. "Love you!" he yelled one last time before disappearing onto the ship._

* * *

The morning light was harsh against his eyelids, forcing Duo to get out of bed, yet that in and of itself was not an easy job. Being over eight months pregnant was not a day at the beach. Hissing at the pain in his back and belly, the long haired man sat up and looked out the window at the landscape of L4. Seeing rolling hills and woods outside did not bring a smile to the man's face. It only made him think about the bad situation he was in. 'It seems I'm back to being a loser at life', he thought. 'After all what do you call someone that's knocked up with no job, no mate, and really no skills, other than killing and stealing.' Duo's frown deepen as he thought about how he could not support his child, children, Duo corrected himself. It seems he had gotten so big during the pregnancy that the healers now thought he was carrying twins.

Yet living with Cat was not a long time solution for himself and his children. He didn't even like that it was what he was doing now. If he wasn't pregnant it would be easy for him to find his own way, after all that what he had always done before when things had gone bad. Duo Maxwell could look after himself after all, be it on the street or on the battle field. What he couldn't do by himself, however, was find a home, a healer, and food for free while he was eight months pregnant. Yet even with the way things were, he couldn't bring himself to wish that he wasn't pregnant. It was no use thinking about what life would be like without his children. He wouldn't want to think about not having them. Even though there were times, early in the pregnancy, that a small voice in the back of his head whisper about the drink that would rid him of his pregnancy.

As the door to his bedroom open, Duo took a deep breath trying to banish the negative thoughts from his mind. "Good Morn, Cat", he said trying to beat the man to his usually morning question. It didn't work, of course.

"How are you feeling today, Duo?" the blonde asked, while walking into the room carrying a tray filled with enough breakfast food for five people.

"The same", the braided man replied, knowing he wouldn't be able to lie to the empathy about his feelings and get away with it, before he started to eat the food on the tray as soon as Quatre sat it on the table. He had to eat enough to feed three after all, and he only had one second helping late night at dinner.

Quatre frown at the answer. He had felt his friend's depress state since he first shown up at his doorstep looking for some help. Help that Quatre was more then willing to give, to such a close friend. Duo had not only saved his life a few times, but also the lives of the men he had lead into battle. His troop would never have survived that first winter in L2 if it wasn't for him. "Duo –"

"What to hear the names I've pick out", Duo quickly ask, deciding to head off where Qat's line of thinking was going.

"Sure"

"I was thinking Rowan and Odin, if I do have twins. What do you think?"

Quatre smiled at the very pregnant man. "I think they sound like lovely names. And with how big you are, of course your carrying twins."

Duo made a face before replying, "'lovely' means you hate them. Maybe I should keep looking. What are you doing today anyways, Cat?"

"Unfortunately, I still have to go over more funeral arrangements for my father. I will most likely be in meetings all day today."

"Still! Its been over six month. Shouldn't you have put this to rest already? I mean, I've never had a father but still it shouldn't take this long", Duo replied.

Quatre smile sadly thinking about his father, "Usually yes, but it seems my father wanted something more memorable. It states in his will that each bearer that gave him a child will have their own time of morning and each child as well. Therefore each of my brothers and their mothers will get about one month each to morn my father. We can not read the rest of his will till the morning period ends which means no one knows who will inherit everything yet."

"You have like 50 brothers", Duo exclaimed. "And don't you get everything? I thought that was the whole point of having so many kids, so he could final have a sire."

"More like 37 brothers," Quatre laugh before his expression turn darker. "Yes he couldn't be happy with what he got. And no one knows who he named in his will. We didn't part on good turns as it was." A knock at the door intruded whatever else Quatre had to say about his father. "I have to go, Duo. Just ask the servants if you need anything and don't be going down to town, you're too far along to walking that path by yourself."

"Yes, Mama Quatre. I'll be good."

Quatre gave the long hair man before him one last look before letting out a heavy breath. "I'll see you tonight", he said before leaving the room.

Duo stared at the door for a long time after his friend was gone. He tried not to think about what a waste of space he was. How he had to depend on others to get by. How much of a loser he had become. Sometimes it was very hard to keep these feelings to himself. "You promise Heero. You promise you would come back", He spoke to the air around him.

Duo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, pushing those feelings down, before getting up to get dress. Quatre may have said he shouldn't go into town, but he said nothing about the lake that was down one of the trails from this manor, Qat called a home.

* * *

The water was warm for the mid fall morning, though Noin didn't mind. It was a nice change to the cold weather they had been having lately. The lake was used for bathing quite often in the summer months by most of the servants living in the manor. It was surrounding by trees and the path down from the manor was easily seen from the lake itself, making it hard for anyone to come without being spotted. Yet looking out for people was not a very big problem since many stop coming since the fall months started, not wanting to bath in the cold water. Lu usually didn't mind the cold as long as he could have a bath by himself. Bathing with the other men was never an option after all.

He had just walked out of the lake, when he heard something coming through the woods. Ducking behind a tree, Noin was able to hide before the men broke through the dense tree line on the other side of the lake. The men were rough looking, like they hadn't had a good meal or a good rest in a long time. 'Bandits', Noin mind label them. They wore parts of the Alliance uniform and were likely simple men who could not find a job now that the war was over and turn to small crime. Noin brought his dagger to his chest; it was one he kept on himself at all times even while bathing, in case someone would try to get the drop on him. If the men did not move on soon, Noin knew what he would have to do to keep his secret. Yet before he could move another sound drew the attention of all the men in the clearing. Noin eyes widen when he recognize the figure walking down the path. After all it was hard to miss Duo now that he had gotten so big. The bandits spotted the man as well and started to move towards the long hair man. Noin held his breath and eyed his clothes laying a few yards from him, as the bandits passed him in their focus pursuit of Duo. Hopefully he would be able to get his clothes on and help Duo before the pregnant man got hurt.

Duo felt the eyes on him as soon as he started down the hill towards the lake. The men were easy to spot as they ran out of the woods with swords draw towards him. Most men would have run the other way, but then again Duo Maxwell was not most men. He had dealt with men twice his size and better armed then himself all his life. This fight was just what he needed to cheer himself up. Even eight months pregnant, these men would be no challenge, after all he was Shinigami.

The first one over threw his sword and it was easy to twist it out of his hand and flip the man over onto the ground. Armed with the newly acquire sword, Duo was ready for the next two to come at him. As soon as the next man lunge, the braided man quickly slash the sword across the his attacker's stomach, spilling out everything the man had for breakfast, along with most of his internal organs. The third ran straight for him and was impaled on Duo sword before he could even bring his own sword down for a strike. Duo then tried to turn around to face the last one, who he had stolen the sword from in the first place. Yet He wasn't fast or flexible enough, thanks to the addition of the babies inside his stomach.

He only turn around half way before he saw the flash of the knife that was aimed right for his stomach. Duo only had enough time to close his eyes and send a thought to the Divine, 'I'm sorry, Heero', while he tense waiting for the blow that would kill himself and his children. Yet when the blow didn't come, Duo open his eyes to see the bandit laying dead at his feet and a furious Lu Noin standing in front of him. Duo's eyes slowly widen as he took in the tall man before him.

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE? You can not go around fighting when you are EIGHT MONTHS PERNANT, Duo! What would have happen if I wasn't here to help? Do you even think-" Noin stop mid-sentence when he realizes Duo's shock expression was neither on the dead bandits nor on his face. Following the longhair man's eyes, Noin looked down and turn a bright red. After the bandits had passed him to go after Duo, he only had a few seconds to get his pants on and shirt button up. Yet in all the chaos it seems he had forgotten to do the middle buttons of his shirt.

Duo Maxwell had only ever met one woman before in his lifetime, a nun who worked at the church where he lived for two years. But even then he had never seem one uncover before. Looking at the nice rounded breast sticking out of Noin's shirt, Duo couldn't help exclaim the obvious.

"You're a woman!"

Before Noin could explain, Duo let out a harsh cry, grabbing a hold of his belly. Both friends were silent as the watch the wet stain spread between Duo's legs.

* * *

"Now say AHH." The glare that was given in response was enough to melt metal.

The healer house was spotless and the midday sun shone onto the exam table on which the grumpy young man sat. Sally Po gave the young man a stare of her own before the man relented and open his mouth. She pried into his mouth before moving down to his throat to check for swelling. "Everything seems to be fine." She stated for the young woman standing behind the table.

Relena bit her lip, "He's been having bad dreams lately".

"Relena."

"No, Heero. She needs to know. He has been having nightmares, dreams at night. He wakes up yelling, screaming most of the time.

"Relena", Heero repeated.

"I can hear him the whole way from my room down the hall," Relena continue.

Sally's brow winkled thinking about what these dreams could mean, before turning to Heero. "How is your memory coming along, Heero? Are you remembering anything new? It would be better if we had more then just your first name to go on. And that was only in the letter that was on you when you were first found on the beach. It was too bad most of the letter had too much water damage. It meant have given us something more, we could-."

"I think I remember my mother. He had blonde hair and showed me how to shoot."

"He, Heero? That would be your father, not your mother" Relena stated.

This time it was Heero's brow that winkled in thought, "No, He was my mother. I'm sure of it."

"Then you are most likely from Layoli. Is that what your nightmares are about, your mother," Sally asked.

"No, the dreams always changed into blood and death. A battlefield, I think?" Heero look at the Doctor expectedly, "does this mean my memory is coming back?"

Sally finishes her exam and walked over to a cabinet in the corner digging through the color glass jars on the shelves. "Most likely. But the mind is a tricky thing and you meant never gain all your memories back."

"Maybe we should rethink about getting the word out about finding an survive, Heero? I'm sure someone would know who you are. If you are from Layoli, that will at least narrow it down some what, though I understand that they had let bearers into their army with their men." Relena ask, trying to help her friend in someway.

"Both are men, Relena. It would be an insult to any bearer to call him less of a man. Even though Heero is a sire and would therefore narrow down it down more, that would still give thousands of families false hope that their own child or husband had survive the storm. It would be cruel to spread word about a survive, with no past, when so many have die. Especially now that your memory is coming back, Heero." Sally replied as she finally found the glass bottle she was looking for and handed the jar to Heero. "Here, this should help with the night terrors. Many men have nightmares from battle stress during the war. It will help you get a better rest. Place two of these leaves into a tea before you go to sleep," She explain. Heero simple passed the jar to Relena for safe keeping, who placed the jars into the shackle that Heero liked to carry around.

"How can you tell the difference between Bearers and me-sires, Miss Po?" Relena asked

"Ah! Well all it takes is an exam of the anus muscles for most healers to tell the difference. In sires the muscle in not very flexible. A Bearers anus muscles would be able to stench much farer." Sally reply brightly, always egger to talk about medicine to anyone.

"Why would it need to stench farer?" A blush came to Relena face as she asked her question, thinking it over. "Oh!"

"Though many new healers also need to do a prostate explain to find the birth canal that is attach right below the prostate gland. It connects the uterus to the anus opening. Perhaps Heero will let me use him as an example to show you what I mean?" Sally turn to Heero expertly.

Heero eyes grew wide before he jumped off the table and grabbed Relena's arm, who had her own expression of shock on her face. "I'm sorry, but we really must be going Miss Po. The council will be voting later today and we don't want to miss Mr. Darlian speech."

A disappointed looked pass on Sally's face before she waved the couple out of her house, "come back if you need anything and tell your father I wish him luck, Miss Relena."

Once more back on the busy city street, Heero let go of Relena's arm. "I really wish you would stop asking her questions," Heero stated before looking up to the sun to check the time. "Let's head to the capital building. Your father should be speaking soon", Heero said as he took his bag from Relena, before walking down the busy street.

They walked several blocks in silence before Relena asked, "Do you think father will be able to get the council to sign the treaty?"

"It depends on what his says, and if the council will agree to all the terms the Layoli government sent. Even if they do, it will still take at least a few years to start the rebuilding of Sank. War could break out again before that even happens."

Relena paused just before the steps of the capital building and look around at the busy street, as families shopped and children played. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and looked back up into the clear blue sky. "Maybe people will finally see the value of peace. Don't you think we have paid a high enough price already, Heero?" she asked. Heero look at Relena, her head still turn towards the sky, and felt his breath catch in his throat. However, he saw chestnut brown hair and a flash of violet instead of golden blonde and blue. As fast as the vision came, it was gone. 'A memory', Heero thought, 'or maybe something else'.

Before he could think more on it, a new voice broken into the conversation, "Relena, what a pleasure to see you again." Heero looked up to see a blonde hair woman with very odd looking eyebrows standing in front of the steps to the capitol building.

"Dorothy! How are you? I haven't seen you since your father became ill." Dorothy and Relena had been somewhat close friends till Dorothy's father had pulled her out of school. The old man wanted to spend the remainder of his days near his daughter instead o letting her off with people her own age. Relena smile was brightly at seeing the face of an old friend, "Where is your father, will he be at the meeting today?"

Dorothy gave a small apologetic smile, Heero thought it look somewhat creepy, "father has sadly taken a turn for the worst and thought it would be best if I came in his stead."

Heero ignore the rest of the conversation and focus more on his surrounding. Years of fighting had honed the instinct to know his surroundings, and even though his memories were gone that did not mean that his skills had left him as well. He moved around the girls- woman, to look farer up the stairs of the capitol building. The building itself was hard to miss. Sitting in the middle of Ohyoli, the masses building was the oldest in the city, built at the beginning of the first Great War as a strong hold. Many groups met on the stairs of the building and the Ohyoli governing council made wars and laws within its thick walls. Farer up the stair was Darlian, himself, taking to more of the councilmen with their surrounding bodyguards, no doubt trying to get some feel into what he will need to say to make the council have faith in a young girl of royal blood. Other figures pass up and down the stairs going about their daily business. As Heero turn back to Relena, a something, or rather two some things, caught his eye. Two cloak figures were slowly moving towards the group of councilmen above him. The first brown cloak figure walked quickly down the stairs in a cross pattern to get closer to the councilmen. The second, black cloak figures was following the first from a distance but seem to be trying to close the distance between the two with out making in obvious. Yet before Heero could call out a warning, a flash of metal from the brown cloak, told him he was too late.

Many things happen within the next several seconds that seem to slow down in motion. With a cry, Darlian fell to the ground, rolling down the stairs. Both Relena and Dorothy turn to the sound and watch as Relena's father rolled down the stairs, "Father", Relena cried rushing after him. The bodyguards and other councilmen seem to be in an confuse state not knowing where the attack had come from and pushing at each other to find the killer and protect their own charges. Heero, himself, rushed up the stairs after the assassin. Yet before Heero was half way up the black cloaked figurer closed the distance, grabbing the assassin before he could find another target. The black figures brought out his own knife and with lighting quick speed, slash it across the other's throat. As soon as the body dropped to the stairs and started to roll down, the bodyguards move in on the black figure finally find a target to go after. Heero paused watching the bodyguards submerge the black cloak man, before turning around and running down to Relena and her father.

Relena pressed her hand onto the wound, as it spill over and onto her dress, watching her father take his last breaths. "Someone please, call a healer!" she screamed to the crowd gathering around her. Heero joined Dorothy watching the scene in front of her with empty eyes.

"Re-relena", Darlian gasp.

"Father, please be still. You'll be fine. Jus- just lie still. Please save your breath" Relena pleaded with the man lying in front of her.

Darlian simply smile, "Relena, mak-make me proud. I'll always lo- you", before he took one last breath and looking off into nothingness. Relena threw herself down onto her father, not caring that the blood stop flowing onto her.

Heero knelt down beside her, moving a hand to close the man's eyes. "I'm sorry, Relena. He is with the Divine now." Many of the other councilmen were coming down the stairs as well now.

"It seems my bodyguard was able to catch the one that did it", one of the older councilmen announce to the gathering crowd. As one of the biggest guards brought down the now uncloak figure. The man could not have been much older then Heero himself. He had light brown hair that cover about half his face and only one green eye in vision.

"He was the one who kill the assassin", Heero stated to the councilmen

The councilman ignored Heero and continue with his speech to the crowd that had gathered along with the other councilmen. "Surely this crime is a sign from the Divine. The rebuilding of Sank is a waste, especially to be place in the leadership of a little girl" The councilmen stop and look around at the crowd that had gathered. "Keeping separated from the sinners of Layoli is-".

"NO", all heads turn to the source of the cry. Relena stood up, over her father's body. Tears still in her eyes, and cover in blood, she looked far from the part of the queen of Sank. "Peace can not last if we can not understand each other. Councilmen, to let this horror control us, is to let terror and fear rule us. I will take my father place for the voting of the Sank treaty." Relena paused and looked at each councilman, before looking at the man in black, "Release him, Heero word is as good as any. There has been enough blood today." She stared at the bodyguard till he release the young man. "Come lets get this council meeting started", with that she turn and walk up the stairs to disappear into the old building. Barely a minute went by before the first councilmen started to head up the stairs as well followed slowly by the rest of the council.

Heero watch with amazement as Relena proudly disappeared into the capital building, before turning to the black figure that came up next to him. "Heero", he stated before holding out his hand.

"Trowa", the man said, shaking the hand. "Just paying him back", the man named Trowa answer seeing the question on Heero's face about the assassin.

"Coming boys?" Dorothy asked from half way up the steps, waiting to see what this new twist will cause.

Both men dropped their hands and made to follow the woman to see if peace was going to last.

* * *

"Push, Duo. That's it."

"Why don't you push, you asshole!" Duo cursed between his teeth, listening to the crying in the background. He had been at this for days it seems, thought it was only dusk. He had just pushed out his first less then an hour ago, and without a break it seemed his little brother also wanted to join the world.

"He's crowning", the healer at the bottom of the bed announce to the room.

Duo stopped pushing for a few seconds as the contraction stop, though he knew another one would start soon. Quatre was to his left, trying to wipe of the sweat of his forehead between watching the babies come out, while Noin, was on his right, he, she?, was now properly dress and holding Duo's hand. They had yet to talk about what happen at the lake. He screamed again before he could think more on it, as the next contraction came.

"One more big push, Duo" Quatre called excitedly from his side. Duo had a very strong urge to hurt him right now. 'It was bad enough the healer is staring down there, I don't need an audience as well', Duo thought as he gave one more push before feeling the baby sip free.

A second cry went up in the room as the new child learn to use it's lungs. "It another bearer", the healer informed the room before taking the baby to the other side of the bedroom to it clean up.

Duo fell back into the bed, glad to see that both children were breathing and well, glad he could sleep now. "Rowan and Odin", Duo whisper as he closed his eyes. He opened them again when he felt a body sit next to him on the bed. Duo looked up into Noin's pensive face.

"I'm sorry I never told you, Duo. It's just not something you come out and say, you know."

It took Duo a few minutes to figure out what she was taking about. "It's ok, Noin. Though I don't understand why you would dress up and fight for the other side." Duo paused a moment to think about it, "You weren't a spy, right?" Duo asked jokingly, thought there was a tint of seriousness to it.

"No. I… that is my mother die in childbirth. My father raises me like a son. I always loved being taught how to fight and shoot. I wanted to join the army, any army since I could remember. My father never really choose a side, he simple went to who even paid the most at the time. And since OZ doesn't allow woman in their army, expect the Lady. I thought that I could pass as a bearer and see what Layoli had to offer", Noin explain.

Duo closed his eyes again and try to ignore the pain that was still coming from his lower section as he thought about what was said. They sat in silent for a come to a half an hour before they were interrupted by the healer.

"Would you like to hold your first born sir?" the man asked, holding up the baby for both of them to see.

Duo smile for the first time since Heero died. The dark hair on top of the child head had most definitely come from his father. Barely any there and it was already looking like it had never been comb, which it hadn't. "Yes", Duo reply, holding out his arms for the baby before looking around the room, "but where is my other child."

The healer's own cheeks pink in response before he answer, "it seems Master Quatre is very fond of children, sir."

Both Duo and Noin lean to the side to look around the healer. What they saw made both of them break into smiles. There is the back corner stood Quatre holding the other baby in his arms, while trying to make odd "baby" faces to the boy.

"You would think he was a woman!" Noin stated. While watching Quatre swing the baby back a forth in his arms, still making the faces. Duo gave a chuckle at that that died off in a hiss of pain. "Duo, what is it.?"

"I don't know. Here take Odin." Duo handed the baby over to Noin before another painful contraction came to him. "Something's wrong", he stated.

Quatre quickly came over to the bed with the other child still is his arms. "What's happening?" He asked, directing the question to the healer who had move back in-between Duo's legs to find out.

"There is another coming", the healer stated.

"WHAT!?" Quatre and Noin shouted to the man, which is turn cause both babies to start crying anew. Duo simple closed his eyes again and gave a pain filled whimper.

The healer look up from between Duo legs to the man, "You must push, Master Duo. It is very important that we get the baby out as soon as possible."

Duo gave a tight nod back before starting to push into the next contraction. As the pain of the contraction lessen he felt a chest to his back, sometime during the contraction Quatre had given Rowan to Noin and had placed himself behind the braided man, hoping to give him his own strength. Duo didn't have time to think about it as the next contraction came and he pushed again before falling back onto Quatre chest, trying to gain what little strength he had left for this last child.

"One more push, Master Duo."

Grabbing onto Quatre's knees and digging in his nails, Duo put as much strength into the push as he could. Feeling the child slip free, Duo looked down to see his now third child. Yet there was no crying coming from the little one and the baby the healer held was blue. The healer quickly moved away from the mother with his bundle taking it to the cleaning table to see if he could save it. Duo tried to bruise his head in the chest behind him, too afraid to look at what was happening. "Quatre is he ok?" he choked out.

Wrapping his arms around the other man, Quatre could not take his eyes off the table where the healer was working. Both men waited in the now quiet room, since Noin had taken the other children to the nursery down the hall. Seconds passed and the room stayed quiet. Tears came to the corners of Duo eyes as he sent a prayer up to the Divine, the he would not let this happen to his child. "Please," Duo whisper, "don't do this to me. I'll do anythi-". Suddenly a choked cry came from the table, followed by the loud screams of a newborn. "Thank you", Duo said to whoever had heard his prayer. The healer brought the child over wrapped in a new cloth and cleaned.

"The cord must have wrapped around his neck in the womb. But he seems to be doing well now, though he is on the small side. Also the child is a sire, Master Duo." The healer told the two men in front of him, holding the baby out for the braid man to take.

Duo brought his third child close to his chest, smiling down at the new life. The child was indeed smaller then his two brothers; he was in fact half their size, with blonde hair. Absentmindly, Duo wander where the blonde hair came from, since neither Heero nor himself were blonde. Though it reminded him of Solo's hair and his days on the streets for some reason.

"What are you going to name him?" Quatre asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Duo looked up and back at Quatre, who had yet to move from his position behind the braid man, "Solo", Duo reply before looking back down at his son. "Can you get Noin to bring Rowan and Odin back?"

Quatre smile at the man before trying to untangle himself from Duo and the bed. "Sure", He answer before going down the hall to do just that, thanking the Divine along the way that all the children and their mother had made it through the birth.

.


	3. Chapter 3: Moving Down The Line

The Paths We Take

Chapter 3: Moving Down the Line

Disclaimer: I don't own it, if I did……..then I would rule the world and chain all authors to their laptops. Making them write nothing but 1x2 fan fictions……. Yes, I am aware that I need a life.

Warnings: AU, Male x Male, MPreg, Yaoi, Male x Female, swearing, mention of sex, blood, death (none of the gundam boys tho)

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 6x9, 5xM, mentions of 3xOCs and 4xOCs, and 5xOCs

Author's Note: I didn't change any of the characters sexes, but some of them are pretending to be men or women. Also the word mother can be either for male or female.

Other Author's Note: This is my first multi-chapter story. Please tell me what you think. Anything is helpful. Also let me know if something doesn't make sense.

* * *

I'm not dead!!! Sorry about the long wait. Truth be told I had this chapter done and ready by new years, then my computer crashed and took this chapter along with it. So I had to rewrite this chapter and deal with the crushing, soul stealing demon that is school. But good news, I've learn my lesson and I'm now backing everything up on a flash drive. Anyway hope you enjoy it. Also thank to everyone who review, it really help me when I had to rewrite this chapter.

* * *

_Battle wore hands held the letter up to the light before folding it and placing the wax seal on the paper. The sounds of angrily footfalls up the stairs nor the slamming of the door opening and bouncing on the wall did not stop the hands from placing this important letter into the knapsack to be sent out tomorrow morning before the ships sailed. If all went well, it would be deliver to his father within the week._

"_BASTARD! How dare you, you over-controlling asshole!" Duo cut off the rest of his rant, sucking deep breaths in from the run and trying to calm himself before he killed his new husband. "Just because we're married now, does not mean you get to run my life!"_

_Heero took a long look at the man standing in front of the door and inhale a deep breath of his own, knowing yelling would just turn this into a bigger fight, and looked up into the eyes of his mate, watching the hair fall out of the braid and the bright angry purple eyes. "Why don't you first tell me what the healer said before I tell you why I took your name off the active list?", Heero replied._

_The color drain from Duo face, as he thought about what Heero asked. "Is that why you wanted to marry me?" Duo asked in a small voice, afraid of what the answer would be._

_This time it was Heero, who blanch at the question. He knew Duo would be angry when he found out about being taken of the deployment list, but he never thought his husband's mind would come to that conclusion. Yet before he could deny anything of the sort, Duo spoke again._

"_I should have known. You son of a bitch, that's it isn't? That's why you wanted to get marry right away. I should have seen that whole 'in the heat of the movement shit' for the bullshit it was!"_

"_No, I did mean it like that. I just thought-"_

"_You just fuckin thought you should marry the bitch you knocked up" _

"_Don't use those kinds of word in front of me", Heero demanded, his own frustration starting to bleed into his voice over how this conversion was going. "It's not fitting for someone of your station."_

"_My Station", Duo mocked. "I come from the streets, in case you forgot. I don't have a station."_

"_We're equal now," Heero calmly stated. "It's my duty to keep you safe now. Marrying me insures that you'll be ok if I leave; that you'll be able to support yourself."_

_Duo clench his fists, trying not to take a swing at his new mate, "Fuck you, Heero Yuy. I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone to support me." He then turned around and stormed back out the room, not wanting this to end in blood shed. _

_As the door slam shut once again, Heero sighed. "That did not go as I plan."_

_

* * *

  
_

Heero's eyes snap open, instantly awake from old war instincts, looking up into the bare ceiling of his new bedroom. It was hard to believe it had been almost four years since the signing of the Sank treaty. Four years to rebuild the new capital of Sank for both nations, four years of peace, and four years without the family he always thought would be waiting for him. Many things had happen within that time. Though not all of his memories had come back, most did. He could recall many people and events throughout his past life, especially Duo. Divine, even after almost four years the name of his dead love still brought tears to his eyes. How he prayed he could at least remember those last days before the ships set sailed for that horrible storm. That he could remember their last goodbye. He would give anything to remember what happen before they left the dock on different boats. Yet that was the one memory that would not come back to him. But it was still enough that he remember all the times they share before it, all the battles they fraught side by side and the nights they spent together under the stars. Sometimes it was hard to not wish to have that back, even with the fighting and death around them. It was hard to believe that the man he loved was gone and a crushing weight had settle on his heart since the day he return to his family home to not find his love waiting for him.

A full year had past before his memory came completely back, remembering his home, husband, and child. How he could have forgot even one thing about Duo was a mystery and a almost betrayal to their love, But the memories did not come back in full for months and many times they came only in dreams that did not seem real in the light of day. Yet once the visions begun to make sense, Heero had quickly left for L1, his ancestor's home in search of his family, hoping to see his husband and the their child. Against Relena's wishes that he make such a journal so soon after he remembered. It took well over a two weeks on horseback with very little supplies to travel the distance from the new Sank capitol to L1, but the only thing he could think about was the man that would be waiting for him with a child, he had never even seen. His son would have already been born and he had not been there to see it through, it was something he would make up for when he saw his family again.

Yet it was not a homecoming of warm hugs and kisses that welcome him when he finally came to the old house that his family had called home for over a hundred years. His father laid on his bed death and Duo was nowhere to be found. It took days of sitting next to the old, sickly man's bed, before Heero was finally able to piece the story of what happen together.

Jay had thrown the harlot out of his home, not believing that Heero had married and not told his own father about it. It wasn't till months later, when Jay started becoming ill that he had any remorse about what he had done, that he may have thrown away the last of his family. The old and now sick man had started to look around the city for the pregnant man, knowing that a man who was expecting would not travel far. Days and nights, the feeble man spent looking through the city for what he believed to be the last of his family and wondering what happen to them. Two months passed before Jay found his answer, a shopkeeper had seen a pregnant, long haired barer living in the ally behind his shop. The man had gone into labor and without any help during the delivery had died along with the stillborn child. 'Good riddance to street trash', the shopkeeper had told Jay.

It took three of the city guards that were walking by to remove the old man from the shop. Finding out that the last of his family was now gone and buried in a potter's grave, the old man simple went home and wait for the lonely end he had no doubt he'd see.

Heero saw red when he had the gotten the story out of the dieing figure on the bed. Yelling and screaming at his father for killing the only happiness he had ever know, the old man had taken it all, knowing he deserve it for letting his only grandchild die, yet when the angry bled away, Heero was only left with guilt and what ifs. If he would have remembered to send the letter about the marriage to his father; if he would have come home sooner, remember sooner...

The young man stay with his father another week, till feeble old man took his last breath. He then buried the last of his family and close the home up for good, after all it was a rather large home, made for a family he no longer had. He thought long and hard about ending it and in the end he knew that Duo wouldn't have wanted that. So with a broke heart and crushed sprit Heero return to Sank, less than a two months from the time he had left, on the same horse he rode off on. Even if life was over for him, someone still had to look after Relena.

Time, however, went on and even though it was still painful to think about the past and the lover and family he lost, he would try to think about the future instead. The world was changing for the better and he was now apart of that change. By helping Relena rebuild the Sank kingdom and start the United Congress, which would bring both governments of Layoli and Ohyoli together, he was making sure that peace would last this time. That no child would have to grow up in the streets without parents and that young love would not be ripped apart, like his was.

A knock at the door drew his attention away from his inner thoughts to the real world once more. No doubt it was Trowa coming to give him his morning report. The older man had proven to be a good friend within the last few years, though he still refuse to tell Heero why he had wanted the assassin dead. Saying that it had been unfinished business between the two of them from a long time ago, yet Trowa did not know who had hired the man to kill Darlian. It seems he had only picked up the scent of the assassin the day he had murder Darlian.

Getting out of bed and grabbing a shirt, Heero made his way across the bedroom, pulling the newly built door open. He was slightly surprise to see not only Trowa but one of the other palace guards, Noel.

Before Heero could say anything, a scroll was shoved into his face. "The night guards report that everything is clear, but they did catch a thief trying to sneak up the south wall. Also I fired two of the new guards on the west wall after they I found them asleep at their post…again. I'm also taking the day off and will be in my chambers for the rest of the day." The unibang man then simple turned around and walk down the hallway towards his own room, while Heero could do nothing but blink at the man's report.

A chuckle cause Heero to look up at the other man still standing in front of his door, "Minds me of the Misses when he's like that".

A glare was the only reply the other man gave.

"Also, the Lady Relena wishes to see you as soon as you're dress, Captain."

This time the guard received a grunt in reply instead, with the door slamming in his face after it.

The guard stood there for a movement, "Layolis", he huffed under his breath, before turning around and heading in the opposite way that the green eye man did.

* * *

"We need to think about the future of these lands before we do anything so bold. What kind of world will we be living in if anyone is allowed to vote or become a member of the Sank high council?"

"We would be living in a world with equality, councilmen Septem" Relena answered, looking between the two elder men standing in the grand chamber before her. The request for a private meeting had not been unexpected, but she had hoped it wouldn't be taking place at the crack of dawn. She knew that changing any kind of government law would not be easy task, let alone the highest government system for the new capital of both countries. For thousands of years the government of both Layoli and Ohyoli had been decided by title and birthright with very little input from common citizens. Yet by having all people, Layoli and Ohyoli citizens, common and noble alike allowed to vote become part of the new high council of Sank, it would be one step closer to her father's dream of a united land.

"Councilmen Septem is right in some respect, my Ladyship." A man of some years, Councilmen Noventa had been on the Layoli's senate since his father passing when he was just a boy. After the peace treaty was sign and both governments were combined to form the high council, he became one of the strongest voices for change within the new government but only to a point. "Why change a system that has worked for over a thousand years on both sides of the war? I agree that the people should have a say in what goes on in their own government. But we can not take away people's birthright to rule."

"You would not have your own position if it wasn't for your birth. Why denied others that right", Septem jumped in, looking for any chance to get the upper hand.

The Queen of the known world looked at the two man in front of her, they were the strongest powers within the high council and nothing would happen if she did not have at least the backing of one of them. She had been afraid of this or at least scare of what the council's reaction would be when she told them, knowing that most, if not all the council would be against such a thing and if they were already up in arms over this they would not even like her next announcement. Relena closed her eyes, took another deep breath in and let it out before she spoke up, "After the new council is elected I will be stepping down from power, and will give full authority to the newly elected high council, as proof of my faith in the workings of this new government to bring about peace."

"Your Highness, I think that you need to understand the people need the guidance and leadership that both the high council of noblemen and the royal crown represent to the people. Without us to lead there would be chaos in-"

"I believe that I am starting to see your point your highness", Noventa interrupted. "That by giving people the power to vote, we will see that this land will remain with the best and brightest leading it. You have my full support with holding the new elections."

For the first time in months, Relena gave a relieve smile. She finally had the support from one of the strongest parties in the high council. "Thank you Councilmen Noventa."

"Again Your Highness, I do not think that you are looking at big picture." By now Septem was red in the face from being interrupted so many times and having the older councilmen changed his mind so fast. 'It just went to show that you can never trust a Layoli with anything important', he thought. "And unlike my fellow councilmen here, I will not be won over by a petty face girl who thinks just because-"

"Your Highness there is an urgent matter that I need to speak with you about", Heero announced to the group as he came marching into the hall.

Septem face seemed to turn an even darker shade of red as he thunder, "We are not done yet, My Lady."

"For now we are, councilmen. As you can see I have some important matters to discuss with the captain of my guard."

A glare from said captain of the guard to back up the Queen's statement was enough to make both men take their leave. Neither Heero nor Relena spoke till the grand halls golden doors shut again, leaving only themselves in the room.

A sigh of relief left Relena's mouth, before she turn and gave the young man beside a bright smile. "Thank you, Heero for doing that. They had me in here since before dawn."

A small smile slowly spread across Heero's face, Relena's smile was one of the few joys that still gave his world some color. Though compared to how Duo used to smile it was a candle next to the sun. His expression turned sour at that. A day didn't go by where something would remind him of mate and the terrible price he pay because for the end of war.

Watching Heero's face change from a small smile to a frown, Relena had to repress another sigh. This man had become her rock within the last few years, without him she would never had have the strength to stand up to the council of Ohyoli that day her father die, or the changes she was now bringing to this new government. She could still remember the day that her hope of a life with Heero was crush. The night he came into her alone she had envision something quite different then the confession about Heero's husband. Till that point she could at least admit to herself that there were many nights she laid in bed with dreams of wedding bells before then. Now there were many more nights that she stayed awake and wished he never had remembered his past. It was easy to see that the lost of his husband and child would haunt him till the day he died. Relena vanish these thoughts from her head and placed a smile back on her face, "Have you cleared the L3 orchestra for the ball yet? You know it's only a month away and you still need to help me pick out the color scheme."

Dark blue eyes blinked slowly bringing their owner back from painful memories, "No, not yet. I'll have Trowa start going over their war records to make sure none of them have anything suspicious in their background."

"That will take forever, going through all those old files. They'll all in the new Preventers' building anyway. Can't you get some of the Lady's agents to do it? And besides you shouldn't make your best friend do such a horrible job. He didn't seem like he was in such a good mood when he came by before my meeting with the councilmen."

"He'll be fine Relena." Heero scorned, just thinking about what Trowa reaction would be to knowing he would have to spend days in the cramp cellar of the Preventers' building. "I need someone who I can count on to go over the background of all the servants for the ball. And I trust the palace guards that I hand picked, not the nameless soldiers that Lady Une is allowing to join the Preventers." He walked over to one of the grand windows over looking the city of Sank, the new capital of the world. "You're still in danger till the new elections take place the day after the anniversary of the end of the war. This ball will be the perfect place for any assassination plan. It's my duty to keep you safe. And I won't fail this time."

Relena couldn't mustard up another smile to give instead she went over to the bay window as well, looking out at the land that they were going to changed for the better, together.

* * *

The hustle and bustle sounds of the dock were nothing to Wufei, though he could have done without the stench of so many unclean men around him, hard working men sweating in the mid-morning sun loading and unloading goods for the new capital from the large ships that pull into the bay of Sank everyday. Many of them were poor immigrants from Layoli and Ohyoli, looking for a better life in the new city. The dark haired man watch them work as he waited for the passengers to disembark from the newest ship that arrive in the bay. The slow march of weary and beaten down men and few women trekking up the wharf remind him of the last days of his own city, when the few ash covered men and children walked away from what was left of the burning city once known as Layoli 5. Perhaps his mind would have travel farer down that road, if it wasn't for the two small children that ran past him up the dock, eager to explore the crates and boxes lining the pier.

The boys were followed by a shout, "Rowan! Odin! Get your asses back here this minute."

A slow smile spread across the dark haired man's face, he knew that voice, "Maxwell, over here."

Three figures, one carrying a small child, pushed through the crowd of passersby's to stand in front of him,"FEI", the long haired yelled and crushing the man in a hug causing the young child, caught in the middle to wiggle and giggle, "mommy".

Chang return the hug hesitantly before lightly pushing the other man away from his personal space, "It's good to see you as well Maxwell-Yuy."

The smile slipped from the long haired man's face, "It's just Maxwell, Fei."

Both men didn't look at each other in the pregnant pause that followed, neither one not knowing what to say about the good friend and husband that was lost to them. The movement of the bundle in his friend arms drew Wufei from his thoughts. The child was smaller then the other two that had run pass him up the pier earlier, instead of the dark of the other two, this one had blonde hair and blue-violet eyes. "Did you have other child and not tell me about, Maxwell. I would hope you kept me in the loop with how many children you were planning on popping out."

"What", Duo gave him a surprise looked until he realized that Fei was talking about the child in his arms, "Oh, this is Solo. I thought I told you I had triplets. They all came from the same litter, even if his smaller then his brothers."

" 'ot small" The child put in, knowing the adults were talking about him.

Duo jostle the child higher up on his hip before hugging him tightly to his chest, "Of course not, you're my little man of the house."

A clearing of a throat, stop the man from smother his child, as much as it was heart warming to see, Chang did what to be struck on the dock all-night. "I know that you wrote me back about housing when you agree to come join the Preventers…"

The braided hair man's face sober up instantly. He placed the young child down on the wooded planks, "go play with brothers, Solo." The boy did not need to be told twice and quickly ran off to help his brothers explore some on the crates lining the pier. "How bad is it?"

"The Preventers will pay well for an agent of your experience", Chang pause knowing his friend would not like what he had found out, "but when you factor in daycare and food with everything else for your children, the only thing I could find in your price range would be a single room apartment."

Duo shoulders slumped at that, it was one thing to know that by being a single parent he would not be able to give his child everything the needed. It was an altogether other thing to hear the words from someone else. He wondered if it was at least in a good neighborhood and open his mouth to ask that same question when someone else spoke up.

"Don't worry Duo", Quatre voice interrupted, stepping up beside his long haired friend, "I told you when we left L4 that I wanted to live together, so I would at least be close to one friend in this strange city. I'm sure we can look for a house at least that will fit all of us."

Dark brown eyes fell on the new man that decided to join in the conversation between the two friends, "Winner, I'm guessing."

The blonde sire gave a warm smile to the man in front of him and extended his hand, "You must be Wufei. Duo has told me so much about you."

One of his dark eyebrows lifted up at that as Chang cast a dismissive look at the hand held out in front of him, "The only thing I have about you is how you enjoy to spread your legs for other sires."

"FEI!"

"It's ok Duo", He placed his arm up to stop the other man from jumping to his defense. Quatre's eyes harden and met the dark browns of Chang's head-on, "It seems that you share the same opinion as my father had of me. That's why I'm here in fact because he disinherited me in his will just because I enjoy being the submissive in bed. Yet you're a bearer yourself", the light hair man paused, looking the dark haired man up and down. "If we were staying within traditional roles, shouldn't you be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen?"

Wufei was in motion before the other man finished his sentence, grabbing a hold of his tunic and drawing his other hand back in a fist. Yet before his was able to snap his arm forward, it was caught within a bone crushing grip. "Stop it, the both of you." Duo slowly let go of Chang's arm as it fell to his side. "You told me, Chang, that I could bring anyone with me that I thought would make a good addition onto the force. Is that still true?"

"Of course, I trust your judgment."

Duo nodded his head, "Good." Gesturing to the two ex-soldiers behind him, "That's why I brought Lu AND Quatre along." He gave a hard look to the two men, "Now if you two can try to get along maybe we could get to the Preventers' building sometime before lunch, because dealing with three hungry three year olds is not a walk in the park."

"I have a carriage waiting to take us there now," Wufei informed the group. He then nodded his head towards the woman in the back, who had remained silent throughout the whole argument, "Noir."

"Chang", she nodded back. "You look well and seem to be just as tactless as when we last saw you."

Duo had to snort at that, "you always were an assh-". Suddenly a loud crashed and the honking of geese could be heard farther up the dock. It seems the three children, while they were away from the watchful eyes of their mother, had found a way to open up one of the animal cages that were waiting to be loaded. "God damn it! I can't take my eyes off you three for five minutes before your wrecking something", the long haired man yelled running up the dock to help get the birds back in their pen before any of them got away.

The three adults were left to watch as the braided man and his children chase the geese up and down the dock. The family was soon joined by Quatre who could never deny helping his best friend. It brought a smile to Wufei's face to watch his friend having to deal with the troublemakers, "It seems they all inherited their mother knack for mischief."

Noin let out a chuckle at that, "You have no idea. I believe they have already giving him quite a few gray hairs."

"Should we help them?" He asked. Thinking about the mood Maxwell would be in from this, "I need him to agree to be my partner, or else they'll give me an onna", he told her.

"After all the times he play ticks of us?"

Chang's smile grew even bigger at that. "Its justice", he stated, looking at the man beside him, "By the way Noir, you really shouldn't wear that cloak. It makes you look like you have breast."

Lu flushed at that, realizing that no one had told Wufei that she came out of the closet, so to speak. "A…Chang, there's something I need to tell you."

* * *

The Ohyolin pulled his cloak closer to his chest, as he entered the smoke-filled inn just outside of Sank. When the building of the new capital started many well to do and friendly taverns and inns started to pop up as well so the men and woman who first came to help rebuild this great city of peace could enjoy a drink and hot meal after a hard days work. Yet this was not that kind inn. Most of the men within the dark interior kept their eyes on their own drinks in front of them. This was not a place to make to friends, only enemies.

The man who had just entered, paused first in the threshold of the doorway to let his eye adjust to the shadows of the run-down bar, before spotting a man sitting in one of the corners tables, who fit the description he was given. This man however did not look like the other patrons of the bar. Instead of keeping his head and shoulders slump, his back was relaxed against the wall with his long whitish-blonde hair hanging over one shoulder and his piecing blue eyes scan the room for any trouble. Before the new stranger could even sit down, the blonde hair man spoke.

"Are you the messenger?"

The other looked around himself, making sure no one else could hear their conversation before he answer and sat down directly in front of the white-haired man. "Yes. I was sent to offer you the deal of a lifetime."

"Is that so?" A cold smile spread across the long haired man face, "and what kind of offer would a palace guard make?"

The guard shuddered at the question but continue on none the less, since he would not get paid unless the assassin accepted the job. "My employer had a job that he needs taken care of and he had heard that you are the best. He is willing to pay very well.

"And who is it that your master wishes have killed? Though I do find it very hard to believe that a pacifist would want to have anyone murder."

This time a smile spread across the guard's face, "My employer is not the Queen, for in her own words she will be stepping down after the passing of the new elections a few days after the ball and leaving many of the place guard, such as myself, jobless and homeless. No, My master, as you called him, wishes to see the Queen dead and in her grave before she takes the power away from the rightful rulers of the council."

The slight widening of the assassin eyes was the only change seen, before the light haired man relax and lean against the wall once again. "If your master can afford my fees then I see no problem in making sure his wish comes true."

With a nod the guard stood and threw a pouch of gold onto the table. "Will that be enough for the down payment?"

"Yes, that is fine"

The other man paused, wanting to be done with encounter and able to receive his own payment for his part of the job. "I was also told to ask you your name?

The cold smile came back onto the sitting man's face, "You do not know?"

"I was only told that you appear out of thin air after the war and have always gotten the job done for the right price." The guard frown, thinking about what the man sitting in front of him could do to him, if the stories were anything to go on. "I do not wish to know for myself, but my employer would like a name to call you by."

"Tell your master he can call me, Zechs Marquise."

The messenger simple nodded his head before swiftly making his way out of the dark tavern. With any luck he would have his own bag of gold before the night was over.


End file.
